illustration. Vlepsi'n.e is remarkable hocaust' it carries its young about for some time 

 attached to its belly. Pontobdella is a marine representative of the family, noticeable 

 on account of the large size of the anterior sucker and the \varts over its bodv. This 

 greenish-gray leech lives on rays, and is apjiarently a lazy creature with dull senses. 

 Its powerful muscles enable it to fasten itself upon a rock and sustain its body 

 in a horizontal position for a long time, but it prefers to hang down, with the head 

 rolled up. 



Leeches are related to fisheries in three ways. Some of the large, blood-sucking 

 forms, such as Macrohdella and Hirudo, attack many fishes directly, even when of con- 

 siderable size, and destroy them very quickly bj^ sucking their blood; some genera, 

 like Icthyobdellu and Ci/stobranclms, are true parasites, and often, when numerous, do 

 the fish great injury. Others, among which belong Clepsvie and Nefhelis, destroy 

 small molluscs and worms, which might otherwise become the food of fishes. On the 

 other hand, the leeches are in their turn fed ujion liy the white fish of the lakes, and 

 proV)ably other fishes (Verril). 



Here we must close, although we wouhl gladly narrate the biographies of Malacoh- 

 della, Sranchiobdella, HisMobdclla and Acanthobdelld — but we must leave the four 

 'Bdella's in the stables; we have driven far and rapidly through a largo province of 

 nature's realm, pausing to catch glimpses of a few of her " sights ; " let us hope 

 not to be of those travellers who "do" a country only to forget its apjiearance and 

 character. 



Charles S. Minot. 





^i^mm 



Polyrimts eximhts, a tube worm with extended tentai 



